Dropped cellphone leads to Hazel Park robbery suspect's arrest

A suspected Hazel Park robber was identified and arrested after police say he dropped his smartphone when he attacked a man and stole his bike.

“As the victim was gathering himself from being knocked off his bicycle he noticed the cellphone on the ground,” said Hazel Park Police Chief Martin Barner. “He later scrolled through photos on the phone and in one of them recognized the (man) who assaulted him and stole his bike.”

Darius Calhoun, 20, of Hazel Park was arraigned Thursday before Hazel Park 43rd District Judge Charles Goedert on a felony charge of unarmed robbery and jailed on $500,000 cash bond.

The bicyclist, 39, was out riding early Tuesday and began to pass three young men in the area of N. Chrysler Drive and Highland.

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The cyclist was punched twice in the back of the head as he rode by the three men and knocked of his bike, police said.

“He was punched several more times after he fell to the ground,” Barner said. “The suspect, who punched the victim, rode off on the bike and the other two men he was with fled.”

The bicyclist told police he found a Samsung Galaxy cellphone on the ground and took it with him when he walked back to his Hazel Park home.

He called police after recognizing his attacker in photos he found on the cellphone, police said.

An officer met the bicyclist at his house and he pointed out a picture of Calhoun to police, identifying the suspect as his attacker, Barner said.